Selector-switch.



1. N. REYNOLDSA ASELECTOR SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED DEC-'16, 1.913.

1,168,419. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

1%' ffm ,/Hven/or: John /V Reyno/ds.

f-N y.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEic.

JOI-IN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS, 0F GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY p ASSIGNMENTS, TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'o all whom, 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN NEWBERRY REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of Fairfieldeand State of Connecticut, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Selector-Switches, of which the following is a full, .clea'i, concise, and exact description. l

This invention relates to improvements in `switch mechanism which is adapted to connect any one of one group of lines to any one of another group of lines, and 1s particularly designed for connectlng lines of a group such as subscribers telephone lines kind of an improved terminal bankstruc" ture wherein the terminals ofthe two groups of lines are mounted in stationary structures entirely independent from each other.

In order to facilitate the explanation and l understanding of thisinvention, it will be described as a line switch' or trunk finderl and as suchmight be arranged to serve for example agroup of one hundred subscribers their adjacent points or points of intersec-v tion are provided with coperating contact. operating means, each trunk bar being pro-- vided with a rotatable and laterally movable arm, and each line bar with av cam adapted upon its actuation to force a corresponding arm of the trunk bar into engagement with a contact set.

The line terminals, which consist of multiply connected flexible strips, are mounted together in one structure and the trunk terminals, which consist of multiply connected contactsI re mounted-fndependently but ad- Specication of'LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

Application filed December 16, 1913. 'I Serial No. 806,992.

jacent to the outer ends of the line termiwith their cooperating trunk contacts by the corresponding contact operating means of a pair of bars upon the successive movement of a bar of each set. In practice some one of the trunk bars or shafts would preferably always be displaced to a position such that the succeeding movement of a line bar would effect intergagement of the terminals of the line with the terminals of the trunk corresponding to the preselected or set trunk bar.

Referring now to the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch with parts broken away; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of a set of cooperating contacts and the operating mechanism therefor.

Secured to member 1 and other similar that they may be flexed into engagement frame members (not shown) is a plurality of bars 2, 3, 4l, 5, etc., which form the opposite sides of the switch support. Secured to the supporting member 1, to the rear of the members 2 and t, is a supporting bar 6 to which is secured one end of the bank of comb-like incoming line terminal strips -7. inese terminal strips have the flexible projecting contact teeth or tongues 8 formed integrally therewith; thus all the terminals of a line are multiply connected. The strips 7 are arranged in groups of three with layers 9 of insulating material therebetween and are secured in position by any Vdesirable means such as a clamping bolt 10. Mounted upon the supporting member 4 at the right, and another support corresponding thereto at the left (not shown), is a plurality of supporting strips 11 to which are secured the comb-like;V trunk terminal strips 12. These terminal .stfips 12 are lalso formed with projecting contact teeth 13. A The strips 12 are separated from the supporting bar 11 and fronr each other by the insulating strips 14, and are secured in position in any desired manner, that shown being by means of clamping screws 15.

IV lien the line terminals are released and occupy their normal position, as shown in Fig. 2,the trunkterminals are located-imi'nediately to the lett thereof but out of engagementtherewith, as shown in said ligure. The springs ot each set of .line terminals are insulatiyely connected by means of the spacing sleeves 1G and the bolt 1T. rlhe line contact tooth at the right in each set projects forwardly in a position to be engaged by the Contact operating mechanism carried by the bars which intersect adjacent thereto, these being the bars corresponding to the line and trunk represented by the. contacts or terminals of the set.

liyotally secured between the member 5 at the right and a corresponding member at the left, not shown, is a plurality oi'v rotatable shafts or rods 1S one being provided for each trunk line. "totatably mounted between the member 2 at the top and a corresponding' member at the. bottom is a plurality oli' rotatable bars or shafts l), one oi which is provided for each incoming. or sub scribers line. These bars or shafts 'will herarlter be referred to as trunk bars and line bars respectively. Each of the bars 1S is provided with a plurality ot arms 20.

loosely mounteil thereon but normally retained in a fixed position by means ot springs 21 which ha ye their outer ends fixed to the shafts 1S and their inner ends loosely positioned between the pins 22 projecting' from theI arms 20. The outer end'oil each of the arms 20 is jnoyidt-d with a contact operating member or ball Q3 oif insulating material. Projecting from each ol the bars 19, in'nnediatcly ailjacent the long line spring of each set, is a cam member il proyided with a groored surface adapted to engage a member i3 as shown in Fig. 2. Secured to each ot' the rods 1S is an armature 25 and n'iounted upon the members #lf and 5 in operative relation thereto is an electromagnet 2G, the armature 25 being normally held retracted by means of a spring 2T.' Fixed to each ot the line bars 19 is an armature 28 and mounted upon the Supportingmembers 2 and 3 in operatiye relation to the arn'iature 28 is an electroma'gnet 29. A spring 30 is provided for maintaining the armature in a retracted position.

Having;` now described the structure of this switch, its operation is as follows: rI`li1f(.u1 ;jli the oj'ier'ation ot circuit controllingl means, which are not shown and need not be described. some one oit the electromagnets Q6 will at all times be energized and conse-l quently some one of the trunk bars 1S will at all times be rotated to preselected or set position. This rotation of the trunk bar will place. each ot' the insulating members 23 carried therebyvin an operative relation, or, as shown inthe drawings, directly to the right ot' the longl line spring oi. its respective contact set. 1t will also place the members Q3 in a position where theyl may be engaged by their resptaztiye. cam members 2l. Now upon the, eventl oi" an incoming call, the. electroniagnet 2) corresponding to the calling lino will become energized through the operation ol appropriate circuit ctmtrolling devices, thus rotating the corresponding line bar if). rlhe grooyed cani 2l; will thus engage one of the insulating members 2 on the. preselected trunk bar i8, rocking,v the arm 20 sidewise on the bar 1S and causing interenp'anement oi' the cor responding` set oi' contactsas shown in dotted lines in Fig. .2 o'l the drawings. The electroinagnet 2U corresponding to Vthe 1incoming line will be retained energized as longel as the call exists. rlhe electromagnet 2o corresponding to ther actuated trunk bar, however, will be released iminerliately a'tter the appropriatel bar li) has` been rotated and will then return to normal. carrying` with it all its contact actuating arms with the eX ception ol" the one engaged by the grooyed cam i ot' the actuated line bar. Another bar 1S. however, representing an idle trunk or outgoing line will now be, inni'naliatcly rotated to set or preselected position. Upon the rotation of the next trunk bar to set position. theI insulating member 22 thereof will` engage the upper tace of the corresponding' cam )A- o'lf the actuated line bar and will be held from passiimr into operative relation to the eorresponding contact set by means thereof, the shaift Aitlvtnrninft); lreely in the end ot they arm 2i), llpon the ter1ninaltion ot the connection, means will. be actu-y ated which will canse the deiinergization ot the electromagnet 2E) and the corresponding.;` bar Il) will then be rotated back to itsl normal position by its spring' Si), thus releasing the, contact actuating arm 15() which, under the tension olf the spring 2T, will be rotated back to normal position in alinement with the other arms on the same trunli: bar.

As many modifications might readily'be made in this invention without dejiarting from the spirit ther-eet'. it is to be understood that the invention to be limited merely by the scope oi? the appended claims.

lVhat lclaim is:

l. In a switch, a phu-aflity of series ot` multiply connected incomingv line tern'iinals secured in a stationary bank. a group ot' contact ojj eratingdevices, one ior cach series ot terminals. a plurality of multiply. connected outgoing line terminals similarly mounted adjacent thereto, a second group oll contact operating deyices, one 'for each series oit outgoing,l line terminals. and means whereby the operation otn a device o't each 'group will cause engaggen'ient ot' V'terminals of thetcorresponding series.

` 2. n a switch, a. plurality ot series oi multiply'connected incoming; line terminals secured in a stationary bank. a group ol? eon tact operating devices, one tor each series of' means whereby the operation of a shaft of' terminals, a plurality of series of multiply c'nnected outgoing line terminals similarly lmounted in a separate stationary bank, a

de" will cause engagement of terminals the corresponding series.

3. In a switch, av plurality of series of multiply connected incoming line terminals mounted in a stationary bank, a group of rota-table shafts, one lfor each of said series of terminals,.a plurality of series of multiply connected outgoing `line Vterminals similaily mounted in a `separate stationary bank, a second group of rotatable shafts, one for each series of outgoing line terminals, and

each group will cause engagement of terminals of thecorresponding series.

4. In a switch, a terminal support, two groups of stationarily mounted metallic strips, multiply connected contacts projecting therefrom, thev strips of one set extend -ing in one direction and the Astrips of the otherset being arranged to extend at substantially right angles to the iii-st group, and means for causing inter-engagement of the contacts ofthe two groups.

5. In a telephone exchange, a group of lines, a plurality of substantially 'parallel fixed terminal strips for said lines, multiple contacts projecting from each of said strips, a second group of lines, a plurality of terminal strips for said second group of lines mounted in a stationary bank independent of said first mentioned strips, multiple contacts projecting from each strip of said second group, and means for selectively causing engagement of the contacts of the two groups of lines.

6. In a switch, a plurality of substantially parallel metallic comb-like strips, the teethof said combs being the m'ultipled terminals of ay group of lines, a second plurality of metallic comb-like strips at substantially right angles to said first mentioned strips, the teeth of said second plurality of strips being the multipled termina-ls of a. second lgroup of lines, stationary banks in which said strips are mounted, and means for iiexj ing the teeth representing the terminals of any line of one group, whereby they may be caused to engage the contact teeth of a line of the second group.

7. In a switch, a plurality of metallic terminal strips insulatively mounted in a stationary bank substantially parallel to each other, flexible contact teeth projecting from said strips, a second plurality of insulated metallic terminal strips similarly mounted, contact teeth projecting from said second plurality of strips, and means whereby a contact tooth of any one of said first menlines,

tioned plurality of Strips may be forced into engagement with a contact tooth of any one of said second plurality of strips.

8. In a telephone exchange, a. group stationary metallic strips in which said lines terminate,"iiexible contact teeth projecting from said strips, a second group of lines, a second plurality of stationary metallic terminal strips for said second group of lines, contact teethprojecting from said second plurality of'strips respectively adjacent to cooperating teeth of said first mentioned strips, said second strips being mounted independently of and extending at substantially right angles to said first mentioned strips, and means for flexing the teeth of one set of strips, whereby they may be caused to engage the corresponding teethv of the other set of strips. y

9. In a telephone exchange, a group of lines, fixed insulated terminal strips in which said lines terminate, flexible contact teeth projecting from said strips, a second group of lines, fixed insulatively mounted terminal strips in which said second group of lines terminate, contact teeth projecting from said second mentioned strips, two sets of intersecting bars, and means whereby the successive displacement of al bar of each setv teeth projecting from each set of strips, a

second plurality of contact strips at right angles to said iirst mentioned plurality, said second set being also'insulatively mounted in sets in a stationary bank, sets of contactl teeth projecting from each of said second named sets of terminal strips respectively adjacent to contacts of the irst mentioned strips, and means for flexing the contact teeth of the first mentioned sets, wherebythey may be caused lto engage the adjacent teeth of the last mentioned sets of strips1 11. In a telephone switch, a plurality of substantially parallel terminal strips insulatively mounted in sets in a stationary bank, a second plurality ofA terminal strips mounted independently of and at right angles to said first4 mentioned strips, said secn ond plurality of-strips being also arranged in sets, sets of terminal teeth projecting from said irst mentioned sets of strips,

there being as many sets of teeth for each vset of strips as there are sets of said second mentioned strips, sets -of terminal teeth projecting from said last mentioned sets of strips adjacent to the contact teeth of the first mentioned strips, there being as many sets of contact teeth for each-of the last mentioned strips as there are sets of those i n mentioned, and means for flexing the teeth ot the tiret mentioned strips whereby tini. will be caused to engage the eorrewending teeth of the second mentioned ripa lf3. ln a. telephone exchange, a group of nee'.` eels oil. terminal Stripe in which said nee terminan?, said stripsI being tixedly and insulati'vel)v 1n mnted parallel to each other in a bank, :L Second group ot' lines, seis o i terminal .strips lin which said Second group oit lines respectively terminate, Said second mentioned strips being mounted inlepenlentliI of and extending;` at substantiailji7 right. angleeI to Said first mentioned strips, sets of flexible contact teeth projecting' trom. Said lirst mentioned strips, one set for each ,line of the second group, sets o1c eontact teeth projecting l'rom Said second mentioned sets ot `etripes, there beinxa)- one Set oi contacts ttor xach line ot the first nientioued group, sets oi: rotatable bars extending; adjacent to said Contacts, and means wher-eb)T the successive rotation ot ay bar oit' ea ,h set will ilex thecontact teeth of one oit' the tiret nientioi'ied group ot lines into engagen'ient with the coi'itact teeth ot one of the ,second mentioned group oi" lines.

lf3. ina telephone exchange, a group of linee, terminal strips in which. said lines terminate, said stripe being insulatively mounted side by side in a stationary panel, a second group ci' lines, sets ot' terminal strips in which said second group of linee resixectively terminate, each of said Second mentioned Sets of strips being,l imlepeiulently but iixedllv mounted at Substantially right angles to said first mentioiu-xl Strips, sets of ilexible contact teeth projecting 'from said tiret mentioned ot strips, one set being provided ior each line olI the iet-,ond mentioned group, sets of contact teeth project ing from said second mentioned sets ot' strips, each set ot' strips haring' as man v sets of contacts as there are lines in the first group of lines, and means for flexing a` set of contact teeth oit any line of the. tiret group, wherebyv they ma)Y be caused to e11- `gage the contact teeth ot' any line ot the second group.

14:. In a telephone exchange, a group ol lines, sets of metallic strips in which Said lines terminate, said strips being insulatitel)v mounted Side by Side in a stationary panel, a second group o linee, sets ot' terminal strips in which Said second `group oi lines resiiiectively terminate, each ot said second set ot' strips` beingl independently mounted. 'iexible contact teetlrprojet-thug from each ot' said first mentioned strips, there being; as many of teeth tor each set of strips as there are lines in the second group, contact teeth projecting from .said

,second sets of Strips, there being' as man)Y sets of teeth. for each Set oit strips as there are lines in the tiret mentioned group, a plurality oll sets ot' bars, and means whereb)V the seceessire displacement oi a bar of each set will connect any line oi?l the iirst mentioned group to a line ot the second mentioned group through their respective contact teeth.

In witness whereof, I hereunto Subscribe' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

